Saturday, June 24, 2006

who is next?

The killing galore is going on with neither break nor reserve. The ceremonial denials of the administration and ritual investigations of public authorities infallibly follow. But the end results are so predictable. So many individuals are killed yet no killers are placed behind bars. There are hundreds of assassinations still no assassin has yet been identified, tried and imprisoned.

Cause-oriented persons are killed. They are leftists. Hence they have lost the right to live. They are destabilizes. So they should be neutralized like contagious diseases, exterminated like deadly virus. To be “left” is a mortal mistake in the country. Its destiny is with certain and finality: the grave.

Journalists are killed. They just want the public to know the truth. They simply intend to be faithful to their profession. They forget that truth is considered one very dirty thing that the government does not want to hear, does not want the public to know about. To be truthful is to be dangerous in this country. The cemetery is the rightful place of the truthful media practitioners.

Farmers are killed. All they want is to have a piece of the land to till. A simple life of peace to live, a humble family to raise. But even this social economic minimum should not be theirs. If farmers so love the soil they cultivate, then let them be buried in it.

Protestant ministers are killed. Woe to them and families when they do not tow the line laid down by the government. They should think, speak and behave as spelled by the administration. Otherwise, not only their limbs but also their lives are at fatal risk. And some of them have already had they mortal consequence of public dissent.

Who are next?

Catholic priests, religious fathers, bishops? These people mean trouble when they cross swords with the government on socio-ethical issues. They are supposed to see nothing, say nothing and do nothing when human rights are violated, when injustice is committed, when people are lied upon and cheated. When what is rightfully theirs is stolen and taken away. Are they next in the killing spree?

Oscar Cruz

About The Blogger

Most Reverend Oscar V. Cruz, D.D. is the Archbishop-Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan. He is currently the Judicial Vicar of the National Tribunal of Appeals. He is a prolific writer, having published several dozen books mostly on judicial and moral matters. His most recent book is about the Social Doctrines of the Church. He also has a blog where he posts regularly. He is an avid coin collector and dabbles in woodworking art.